"Alright, coming right up," Qin Xiangnuan followed the recipe she remembered, first putting the vermicelli in a small bamboo basket and scalding it in boiling water. Then, she took a bowl and added several types of vegetables. The flavors all came from the soup base; the rest was very simple. She added a bit of vinegar, soy sauce, and salt to the bowl, then placed the scalded vermicelli in, poured in some chicken broth, and added a few pieces of her specially prepared chicken. The chicken tasted very much like what would later become known as stewed chicken. She had cut them into small pieces, which made it much tastier than ordinary meat.
Finally, she topped off the bowl with some cooked peanuts and dried soybeans.
Once she placed the prepared spicy and sour vermicelli on the table, the aroma wafted out, attracting even passersby at the entrance of their shop.
"By the way, how much is a bowl?" asked a local uncle as he picked up his chopsticks. He was just about to eat when he suddenly remembered something—he hadn’t asked the price yet.
"Uncle, a bowl is 30 cents," Qin Xiangnuan quoted the price, and she saw the uncle’s expression change noticeably. He probably thought it was too expensive; it was barely filling, yet cost 30 cents, while a big bowl of noodles only cost ten cents.
However, in Qin Xiangnuan’s opinion, this price was fair. With her skill and the taste she provided, it was naturally more expensive for good reason. Moreover, even in the future, a bowl of noodles might cost five to six yuan, but an authentic bowl of Chengdu spicy and sour vermicelli indeed could be around ten yuan or more.
And she guessed right. The uncle did feel a pang of regret for not asking the price before he ordered a bowl, but now the bowl was right in front of him. He couldn’t possibly return it. Oh well, now he knew for next time.
But after taking the first bite, he felt instantly better.
The spicy and sour vermicelli was truly worth it; he even found some chicken in it. Why did this chicken taste better than ordinary chicken, and why was it softer? He slurped up the vermicelli and the soup to the last drop, and in a short while, he broke out in a sweat, which also made him feel relieved.
He gladly gave Qin Xiangnuan six yuan, and she gave him back ¥4.5 in change.
"Come again tomorrow, this flavor is just right," the uncle really fell in love with the taste. Right, he would bring his wife as well tomorrow. It’s just 30 cents a bowl, and after eating one, you won’t feel cold for the entire day.
Aunt Hua was smiling from ear to ear as she put the money into the drawer. In just a short time, their spicy and sour vermicelli had become famous. Those who had a bowl would soon come back, dragging their entire family with them, just to have another bowl of this vermicelli.
Qin Xiangnuan glanced indifferently at the Wen family’s stall not far across from them. They had rented a storefront selling scallion pancakes and scallion pancake with vegetables, and their porridges were the same as theirs, including preserved egg and lean meat porridge, as well as pumpkin porridge.
Wendi could feel her gaze; as soon as he looked up and saw her, he quickly retracted his head.
Qin Xiangnuan’s lips curled into a slight smirk.
It’s good to know shame. At the very least, she knew that this was Brother Yan from before, the honest one who would cry when he received his salary. As for Wendi, she didn’t harbor much resentment. Whether he was ungrateful or heartless, taking her skills, hurting her benefactor, and then earning all this unscrupulous money.